Beyond the Wheel
by Shadow Crystal Mage
Summary: It was the first time Rand had seen enough dead Trollocs to make the landscape go black apparently killed by a child with a stick, and a slightly older girl with a slim sword practically taller than she was. Crossover with Negima. Crack!
1. In Which There Is Again No Explanation…

A/N: Set around **_The Shadow Rising_. **Negima-wise, this might be during or post Magical World Arc. Definitely after the Festival…

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Beyond the Wheel

by Shadow Crystal Mage

Chapter 1: In Which There Is Again No Explanation As To How They Got There

Disclaimer: Negima belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The Wheel of Time belongs to James Oliver Rigney Jr. Brian Sanderson is doing an acceptable job.

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It wasn't the first time Rand Al'Thor, or any of the Aiel with him, had seen dead Trollocs. It wasn't the first time they'd seen a _lot_ of dead Trollocs. It wasn't the first time they'd seen enough dead Trollocs to make the landscape go black.

It _was_ the first time they'd seen enough dead Trollocs to make the landscape go black apparently killed by a child with a stick, and a slightly older girl with a slim sword practically taller than she was. The scouts had reported channeling when they'd returned, but there was none going on now. They'd arrived in time to see the girl cutting up almost a dozen Trollocs with three easy slashes, before cleaning her blade of blood with a flick of her wrist and resheathing her monstrous– to the Aiel, almost literally– blade.

Standing on a ridge atop his horse, Rand could see the girl apparently looking about frantically, before beginning to wave her arms frantically, unintelligible words just barely reaching him in the thin air of the Waste. She was clearly highly upset about something.

"What in the Light…?" Mat said as he rode up next to Rand, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. His bare head glistened with sweat. "Blood and ashes… What happened here?"

"A slaughter, from the looks of it", Rhuarc said, stepping up. "There's nothing but them and Trolloc dead for miles around. The Maidens said there was channeling done. It looks like it." All over the ground were scorch marks and craters filed with and surrounded by dead Shadowspawn.

They watched as, down bellow, the two children apparently noticed them. The girl's hands clearly dropped to her weapon in suspicion, but the boy appeared excited, waving his arms as if to get their attention and tugging on the girls' sleeves to try and drag her towards them. They negotiated the charnel field with seeming reticence, as if suddenly squeamish. As they got closer, they could clearly make out their clothing. The younger child wore a tan robe with a hood, while the girl, carrying what appeared to be a similar robe folded over one arm, was scandalously and inappropriately dressed in a short red skirt that fell well short of her knees, dark stockings the extended well past said knees but fell short of the skirt's hem, a white blouse with long sleeves pulled to her elbows that seemed to follow the contours of her body very closely, and what appeared to be some kind of strange black scarf tied under the collar of her blouse that seemed to serve no purpose but decoration. Even as they watched, she pulled it off and tied it around her head.

Rand hesitated a moment, then spurred his horse to meet them, causing a hundred Jindo Aiel to follow.

The smaller child– a boy, Rand made out, but with such wide eyes and delicate features he was cute enough to be a girl– waved an arm enthusiastically as they approached, the other using the stick he carried to help him along. "Ahoy!" he cried as they came close. His accent was strange, but definitely not Aiel. It sounded vaguely Andoran, but they couldn't quite place it.

Rand exchanged bemused looks with Mat. Ahoy? Did it _look_ like they were on a boat? Still, Rand allowed himself an amused look as he raised a hand in greeting. "Ahoy," he said. "You're a long way from anywhere, child. What business have you so far in the Three-Fold Land?"

The boy looked blank, blinking at Rand curiously. "Um, do the words 'Egypt' or 'Megalomesembria' mean anything to you?" he asked, sounding like he knew what the answer would be and was dreading it.

There was no need to exchange glances, though Rand almost felt like it. He knew everyone else around him was doing it. "No, not a thing."

The boy visibly sagged, clutching his staff with both hands. "Darn it," he muttered, and Rand wondered what clothing repair had to do with anything. "It's happened again. We're lost."

"Negi-sensei," the girl with him said urgently, and Rand instantly focused his attention towards her. Her eyes were wild, not with fear but with desperation, like a starving hawk frantically searching for the world's last rabbit. "We have to get going and look for the others! The desert is dangerous! What if something happened to Oujo-sama? She could dehydrate herself, or get attacked by some kind of wild animal, or fall down a ravine…" The girl shuddered as if the possibilities were too horrible to mention, and she suddenly threw back her head, eyes wide but unfocussed, yelling at the top of her voice and causing everyone to involuntarily reach for their weapons. "KONOKA OUJO-SAMA!!! WHERE ARE YOU!!!"

"Setsuna-san, calm down," the boy said, dropping his staff as he reached out to shake her shoulders. He seemed to be surprisingly strong for his size, because he managed it quite well. "Getting panicked won't help anyone. Settle down!" His voice was concerned and trying to be authoritative, and Rand realized with a start he felt responsible for the girl.

The girl dropped to her knees, shoulders shaking as the boy held her to his chest, patting her comfortingly. "It's all right," they could hear him say. "We've gone through this before. We can do it again." He looked up apologetically at Rand. "I'm sorry, but things have been very trying of late. I'm Negi Springfield, and this is Setsuna. Er, Setsuna Sakurazaki, I suppose. We're… lost. Very lost. We've lost our companions as well, and that's been weighing on our minds. I don't suppose you've seen a group of girls about Setsuna's age wandering in the desert just now?"

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**- To be continued...**

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A/N: Been meaning to write Wheel of Time stuff for a _long_ while, back when people were still doing Ranma crossovers of it. Besides the cracky **_Callandor Short Fics_**, I haven't really been able to. The scale's been too epic. But here's a start…

Setsuna might actually be able to beat Lan in a fight, straight up skills, no frills included. I believe she's that good. But best not to underestimate someone Aiel, and Warders think is Death incarnate…

As for the possible language barrier… MAGIC!

Negi sounds Andoran because in the Audiobooks, Gawyne sounds British to me. If The Creator had specified a specific kind of accent for Andor, I don't know it. Would appreciate not being told it, either.

Please review, C&C welcome.

Until next time, this is Shadow, signing off.


	2. Did A Ragdoll Just…!

Beyond the Wheel

by Shadow Crystal Mage

Chapter 2: Did A Ragdoll Just…!?!

Disclaimer: Negima belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The Wheel of Time belongs to James Oliver Rigney Jr. Brian Sanderson is doing an acceptable job.

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The story the boy Negi gave them as utterly preposterous, about other worlds, and things that could not be done by the Power. Still, it's fairly difficult for even the eternally stubborn Egwene to argue that when the boy telling you is doing so while sitting on a floating staff not supported by either Saidin or Saidar.

The Wise Ones had swarmed him upon hearing of the Trollocs, but except for an old scar on his cheek, he'd been surprisingly unharmed. They wanted to check on Setsuna as well, but between her deathgrip on her enormous sword and her wild-eyed look, they'd been reluctant. Negi had to soothe her before she'd allow herself to be examined and Healed, though it was very minor.

Setsuna shuddered as Moiraine took her hands away. "She's not as good as Oujo-sama," she muttered sullenly, before shuddering and giving another despairing cry. "OUJO-SAMA! OH, OJOU-SAMA, WHERE ARE YOU!?!"

She'd been doing that every few minutes. The others were getting used to it, and were finding it very annoying.

"Who's 'Oujo-sama' she keeps crying about?" Mat asked Negi as they continued on their journey, the two children flying slowly alongside Rand on Negi's flying stick.

Setsuna tensed, beginning to shake slightly, but gave no outcry. Negi gave her a concerned look before answering. "'Oujo-sama' refers to Konoka-sa– er, Konoka. She's the one Setsuna's sworn to protect. Setsuna's sort of her bodyguard."

Setsuna twitched, beginning to shake slightly. Negi looked over his shoulder at her again, reaching back to pat her comfortingly.

"Bodyguard?" Aviendha said, her tone disparaging. "Is she such a milksop she cannot protect herself?"

Negi's cry of surprise was the former Maiden's only warning as Setsuna seemed to disappear from the staff, only to reappear a few feet away from Aviendha in mid-air, barely held back by Negi, who'd hooked his heels on his staff and was trying to pull the girl back, his staff weaving drunkenly in the air. His other hand was occupied with keeping Setsuna from drawing her sword out the whole way. Aviendha and everyone else started back in surprise, hands going to weapons as the other girl ranted at Aviendha to take back her words.

For a while, Chaos sat on his fancy chair wearing his hat of authority as Negi tried to keep Setsuna from cutting Aviendha open, calming her down, and keep the others from attacking Setsuna for trying to attack one of them. Eventually, the boy managed to drag Setsuna off to the side, and the others overheard him apparently berating and chastising her. Eventually, the girl subsided sullenly, and the two returned with her huddled on Negi's staff floating far above everyone's heads, and Negi walking with the Aiel down below, the staff connected to one of his fingers by what looked like a string made of a rainbow.

"Best if she have some space," he said apologetically as he walked. He seemed to have absolutely no trouble maintaining the Aiel's grueling pace.

"What was that about?" Mat asked him, looking up at Setsuna above them only to jerk his head down as he realized how short her skirt was. Canoodling maids was one thing, looking up a child's skirt something else entirely.

"Setsuna takes Konoka's honor very seriously," Negi explained. "She'd sworn to protect Konoka ever since they were small children, and has been training to get stronger ever since then to do exactly that. She cares greatly for Konoka. Not knowing where she is has been a great weight on her mind."

It might have been Ta'Veren influence that made Mat say, "Sounds like a Warder."

Negi looked at him curiously. "What's a Warder?"

Mat frowned, but briefly explained about Warders and Aes Sedai.

Negi paused. "I'm not sure that's really applicable. If anything, Setsuna's _my_ Warder. After all, I have a contract with her. But if she made a Contract with Konoka, then I suppose the comparison will be apt."

Before anyone could reply to that, a voice in the air cried, "Negi-sensei!" That was all the warning anyone had before something struck Negi in the face. Everyone was then treated to the sight of Negi being hugged by what appeared to be an affectionate rag doll.

"Sayo-chan!" Negi cried as he managed to extract the doll from the parts of his face he used for talking. "You're here! Are you with anyone else?"

"I'm with Kazumi-san," the little doll seemed to say, royally creeping everyone out. "She should know you're here by now, what with her Artifact."

"Is Konoka Oujo-sama with her?" Setsuna said urgently as she landed next to them, much to the surprise of the Aiel. The staff was floating a couple of dozen feet up, after all. "Is she safe?"

"Yipe!" the rag doll cried in surprise, hiding behind Negi before she saw who it was. "Oh, no Setsuna-san. I'm afraid Konoka-san isn't with us."

Setsuna gave a cry of anguished despair that sent a chill down Rand's mind. It felt strangely familiar.

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**- To be continued...**

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A/N: I was impressed with Gathering Storm. Egwene not only took a level in Badass, she also took a level in Vetinari. Verin is now my second favorite Aes Sedai. Moiraine is, of course, number 1.

Is it an indication I'm a bad person that I like writing Setsuna on the edge of a mental breakdown?

Please review, C&C welcome.

Until next time, this is Shadow, signing off.


	3. Around the World

A/N: Kazimu is wearing the shorts and bra-thing from the time she went on a trip with Chachamaru around the world. I realize that the timing might not all be synchronized, but I'm blaming it on the Dark One's time-space buggery effects.

...

Beyond the Wheel

by Shadow Crystal Mage

Chapter 3: Around the World

Disclaimer: The Wheel of Time series belongs to the Creator, Robert Jordan/James Oliver Rigney Jr. Negima belongs to Ken Akamatsu.

...

The new girl was wearing even less than the other one, and was looking quite unashamed about it. She'd draped a heavy tan cloak over her head, holding it up in an attempt to get some shade and protection from the heat. She was grinning widely though, obviously happy to see the boy and his companion. Fortunately, she'd also been directly in their path, and hadn't required any detours. "Hey sensei! Fancy meeting you here. Pretty hot, isn't it?"

The Aiel just stared at her blankly.

"ASAKURA!" Setsuna cried, and suddenly the girl found herself being shaken by her lapels by a slightly unhinged bird hanyou, her cloak falling to the ground. "You need to send out your artifact again! Konoka-chan's still out there somewhere! WE NEED TO FIND HER!"

"Erg…" Asakura said dizzily as Negi began trying to calm Setsuna down and, and most importantly have her relinquish her hold of Asauka's front, which was causing it to shake in interesting ways that Mat and Rand were finding very embarrassing. Aviendha was glaring at him as the other Aiel pretended selective blindness.

"Enjoying ogling a _child_, wetlander?" she said, voice rimed with disgust.

Before Rand could answer, Asakura, who'd obviously heard, waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "Ah, let the guy. That's why the babies are out and about: for the public good!" she said, squeezing them with her other arm for emphasis.

Rand could hear Mat choking on his tongue as Aviendha gave her an icy look. His own face got redder. Rhuarc looked slightly disapproving as well, but kept his own council. Female fashion, apparently, was women's business, especially when there were more than one woman around.

A very wise man, Rhuarc.

Negi, likely not understanding what exactly the girl meant, didn't blush, instead managing to convince Setsuna to let go. The dark-haired girl stepped back, hands convulsing, fingers opening and closing, and she tucked them under her arms as her teeth grit tight. The new girl Asakura, meanwhile, turned around and bent over to pick up her cloak, and giving _quite_ an interesting and scandalizing view from behind that made even some of the Aiel cough nervously, fingers twitching as if they wanted to loosen their collars. Aviendha was developing quite an interesting twitch on her eyebrow.

Rand wondered if this was the Creator's idea of fun at his expense.

...

Perrin and his Trolloc Hunters where creeping through the woods, minding their own business, when they suddenly heard someone cry.

"DARN IT! WHERE AM I NOW?-!-?-!-?"

Contrary to popular narrative convention, when they hurriedly reached the screamer's location, it was _not_ a fanged boy with an umbrella and a yellow bandana. This was such a breach of tradition that a report was filed with local management, and were promptly told that, look, there are tons of other characters besides _those_ crazy people in the world, so don't keep expecting they'll show up every time someone throws in the kitchen sink, because people have been doing that for the better part of twenty years and honestly, it's gotten _really_ old.

The boy, much younger and shorter than the previously mentioned overused and over-exposed previous party, wearing thin looking dark clothes and no coat eyed them warily as they arrived, and Perrin and the other drew up short, staring.

He had dog ears. And a tail.

This instantly presented a difficult metaphysical conundrum.

"T-trolloc?" one of the Two Rivers boy's said, providing the current likely answer, but without much conviction. As a rule, Trollocs didn't look cute. And while he certainly smelled strange to Perrin, boyish and dog-like in no particular order, he didn't reek of the evil, eldritch, unnatural_ foulness_ that the Shadow Spawn usually did.

The boy glared at them. "What the heck are you all looking at?" he demanded.

Someone wordlessly pointed at his head.

The boy patted his head and blinked in a 'hand in the cookie jar' kind of way as he felt his ears. The ears seemed to droop and burrow themselves into his hair, hiding as he laughed nervously. "Um, I don't suppose I could convince you all you didn't actually see that, huh?"

The boys all shook their heads.

"Um, you're not going to try and kill me now, are you?" he said, and Perrin heard the tone of someone worried and slightly annoyed he might have to go through a minor inconvenience. "Because people sometimes over-react about the ears…"

Perrin didn't have time for this. they needed to get moving, since Trollocs might have heard his cries as well. He made a quick decision. "What's you name?" he asked.

The boy seemed to think about that a moment, but quickly reached a decision. "Murakami Kotarou," he said, a hint of tenderness on the first part. He nodded decisively, as if satisfied and at peace with something. He smiled widely, looking Perrin in the eye. "Murakami… Kotarou."

As there eyes met, Perrin realized something.

The boy's eyes were seemed to be turning into the color of amber…

...

_Captain's log for the ship _Wavedancer_, Sailmistress Coine din Jubai Wild Winds_

_One of the shore bound suddenly appeared out of a clear blue sky and dropped onto my ship. I wouldn't have credited it if I hadn't suddenly seen her appear myself… or if she hadn't landed on top of me. The absurdly-tall shore bound girl was heavy, even without those monstrous pieces of steel she carried on her back and said was a weapon. Elayne Sedai and Nynaeve Sedai seemed very curious about her, and were willing to provide for her Gift of Passage. I am not sure what this could mean. There aren't a lot of omens about shore bound appearing out of nowhere and falling on Sailmistresses. She claims to be a member of a group called the White Wings, which my sister Jorin regards as a fortuitous sign, if nothing else, and is unable to explain how she arrived as she did, though she clearly has some sort of unconfirmed suspicion. _

_Nevertheless, the girl has been helpful, climbing the rigging as well as any sailor, for a shore bound. I have told the Deckmaster she is allowed to assist in rigging the sails. It is unorthodox, but the girl certainly has talent, and has been willing to teach the crew her strange way of climbing, whish seems so fast it is as if she is sticking to the mast. The gleeman Thom Merrilin seems quite interested in her, and at night he and she amuse the crew with contests of acrobatics and knife tricks, which the girl wins more often than she loses. _

_She apparently intends to accompany Elayne Sedai and Nynaeve Sedai to Tanchico, both to act as a companion in thanks for their generosity, and so that they may assist her in her own search for her companions, whom she believes also appeared in manner similar to her own, but in various other places. She says this has happened to them before. I found it best not to ask._

_The Kaede girl is nice enough, even though she once mentioned wistfully that she wished they would run into pirates. To her credit, at least she wished for them to be _stupid_ pirates whom we would heavily outnumber. Apparently, where she comes from, killing a pirate is considered a right of passage. _

_While I cannot agree with her wishing for pirates, I find myself thinking that any shore bound clan who see the death of such wretches with such significance can't be all bad. There might be hope for the mad fools yet…_

...

Asakura had yet to find Konoka by that night. Setsuna had been perfectly willing to go out into the dark and search for her herself, and had seemed unconcerned about such things as lions, ravines and poisonous creatures. One of the Wise Ones finally slipped her a little something "For her own good" that had left her giggling and crying widely and finally unconscious.

Negi and Asakura were already worrying about how the girl would react come morning.

Setsuna's Konoka withdrawal: day 1

The boy Negi and Asakura had, with profuse thankfulness, shared Rand's fire that night as the cold set it. The trunk Negi and Setsuna had been lugging around, as well as the backpack Asakura had with her were fortunately able to provide a rather strange tent and some bed rolls for them. It was wasn't that Rand would have let them freeze out in the night– and he doubted some of the Aiel would have, either– but at least this way they had their own.

Conversation was… interesting.

"She's certainly worried about this Konoka girl," Mat had commented offhandedly as Egwene, who along with Moiraine and some Wise Ones was visiting, handed Negi a bowl of that night's food, who thanked her profusely.

Asakura smiled like a fox, suddenly giving Mat horrible flashbacks from the red-stone _ter'angreal._ "Oh, well Setsuna's madly in love with the girl, so it can't be helped."

Rhuarc struck Rand hard on the back as the Dragon Reborn swallowed wrong and began to choke. Egwene began to look indignant. Moiraine, strangely, looked wistful.

Negi blushed. "Asakura!" he cried. You shouldn't say things like that!"

Asakura rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Negi-kun! I know it, _you_ know it, our classmates know it, the Dean and Eishun probably know it, heck, everyone and their ancestors but _Setsuna_ seems to know it. It's hardly a state secret."

That did nothing for Negi's blush. "S-still! Show a little discretion!"

"Sorry, I don't know that word," Asakura smiled. "I am but an indifferent slave of truth, and know no other master!"

Negi sighed in embarrassment at the statement. "Asakura-san…" he said.

...

They met the wagons on the following day.

...

**- To be continued...**

...

A/N: Asakura Kazumi: destroying brains through superior sexiness since forever.

Kotaro seems to have brownish-reddish eyes in the manga/ODA, but let's just say Randland's having an effect on him, shall we?

Please review, C&C welcome.

Until next time, this is Shadow, signing off.


	4. The Wagons

A/N: Having trouble thinking of what happens to the others. Will need to reread book 4…

...

Beyond the Wheel

by Shadow Crystal Mage

Chapter 4: The Wagons

Disclaimer: The Wheel of Time series belongs to the Creator, Robert Jordan/James Oliver Rigney Jr. Negima belongs to Ken Akamatsu.

...

"Konoka…" Setsuna moaned, leaning against Asakura's back. "Oujo-sama, where are you…?"

Asakura turned to Negi, who was running next to Rand and pulling the staff behind him. "Is it just me, or does she sound like she really needs to get–"

Setsuna thumped the back of her head. "I might not be too coherent, but I'm coherent enough to keep you from saying that," she growled, before dissolving into wails again. "OJOU-SAMA!"

Negi was blinking over his shoulder. "Get? Get what? What does Setsuna need to get, Asakura?"

"She needs to get to Konoka," Asakura managed to say smoothly.

"Is that right?" Mat said dryly. Had Egwene been there, she'd have slapped him. Nynaeve would have started with that, then stopped being nice.

Asakura gave him a wide grin. "Yes, that's right. She needs to get to Konoka _very _much_. _Needs it desperately, in fact."

Behind her, Setsuna suddenly bolted upright, horror in her eyes, nearly dislodging Sayo from her perch on Asakura's shoulder. "Oh no…" the swordswoman breathed.

"Hmm?" Asakura said, turning to the girl.

"I just realized…" Setsuna said, wide-eyed. "If we've been separated… then we've just unleashed Haruna on a poor, unsuspecting world. May the world forgive us."

Sayo's already big eyes went wide. "Oh no…"

Rand turned back to them, frowning. "What is a Haruna?"

"_Who_ is Haruna," Asakura corrected gently. "Haruna's a friend of ours."

"The kind you wish wasn't," Setsuna muttered just loudly enough to be heard. "Because they keep getting you in trouble you don't need…" A beat. "OJOU-SAMA!"

"I know the type," Rand and Mat said in eerie synchronicity, then blinked, looking at each other.

"Can we pretend we were talking about Perrin?" Rand said.

Mat nodded. "Though let's not tell him that."

They stoically turned and kept their gazes forward.

They rode in relative silence for the next hour or so, when Aviendha suddenly spoke. "Elayne is the woman for you."

Rnd looked down at Aviendha in confusion as Mat started whistling softly, not looking at them and Negi blinked in cofusion. Asakura, however, jerked up like she'd just sat on something sharp, looking at Rand with a disturbing predator gleam he'd never seen before, ad he was something of an expert on being on the receiving end of predatory looks, her hands fumbling for one of her pockets and nearly falling off as she retrieved what appeared to be a small book and a ridiculously thin pen, but no ink bottle. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Aviendha stalked as she spoke. "Elayne is a wetlander, your own kind. Exactly the woman for you. is she not beautiful? Her back is straight, her limbs supple and strong, her lips like plump loveapples. Her hair is spun gold, her eyes blue sapphires. Her skin is smoother than the finest silk, he bosom fine and well-rounded. Her hips are–"

"I know she's pretty!" Rand interrupted, blushing as Asakura wrote frantically. That wide smiled was very disturbing. Scary, even. "What are you doing?"

Negi also had his own question. "What's a 'bosom'?" he asked innocently.

Asakura's smile became wider as Aviendha faltered. "Well, Negi-kun, when a woman–"

A sword was at her neck. "Tell him _anything_," Setsuna growled, sounding _slightly_ unbalanced. "And I _swear_ that you'll regret it."

"Setsuna-san!" Negi exclaimed.

The swordswoman turned to the boy. "A 'bosom' isn't something good little boys ask about, Negi-sensei," she said. "Especially to girls."

"Ah…" Negi said hesitantly, slightly confused. "Well, okay…"

"Setsuna, he needs to learn about things like this," Asakura said cheerfully. "He's a growing boy, after all. Soon he'll be big and tall and hitting puberty and his thing will be–"

"ASAKURA!" Setsuna cried.

"I'm just saying, if he doesn't know which part is which, it might lead to awkward situations when he tries to stick his–"

"FINISH THAT SENTENCE AND I'M DOING HORRIBLE THINGS TO YOUR CAMERA!"

Rand frowned as he looked over at the Wise One's party, grateful for an excuse to look elsewhere. Where they... _laughing_?

...

One of the Maidens who'd gone ahead to scout arrived, and spoke to Rhuarc, who announced something about peddlers wagons. Setsuna really didn't care, since she was gripped in a nightmarish vision of Konoka in some kind of vague yet horrible danger.

Her companions, however, were more attentive, especially when the wagons came in sight. The second wagon had a large, ridiculously obese woman sitting next to the driver, who go down and waddled over to the lead wagon as Rhuarc, Rand, Mat, Couladin, a hundred Jindo, and a curious Negi, Asakura, Sayo and Setsuna approached. She banged heavily on the door of the lead wagon. "Kadere!" she cried, and people were startled by the stark contrast of her voice, which was the equivalent of the effect deodorant has in commercials. "Get out of there, you fool! What are you doing inside in the middle of the morning, anyway?-!" she demanded.

She turned from the wagon as the group finally arrived, while the sounds of frantic activity came from inside the wagon. "I am Keille Shaogi, pedder," she said. "And when he finally gets his miserable bulk out here, my partner is Hadnan Kadere. We seek Cold Rocks Hold, good sirs, and–"

"_NEGI!_"

The entire party was surprised at this cry, those armed suddenly going for their spears, Couladin himself going so much as to draw his, as an orange-haired blur streaked past with a tinkle of bells. Negi suddenly found himself being tackled to the ground by a crying Asuna. "GAH! NEGI! YOU'RE HERE! YOU'RE HERE! I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU!"

A large, heavy man with a hooked nose stepped out of the first wagon in his shirtsleeves, his clothes rumple and uneven, as if hastily just donned. He adjusted the hat on his head, looking nervously over his shoulder at the still open door of the wagon. Sweat covered him, far too much for even the heat, and there was a strong, musky scent about him.

"Set-chan!"

Setsuna jerked upright. Even as the new peddler stepped forward, Keille glaring at him in disapproval and the others dividing their attention between his approach and the impromptu reunion on the ground– Negi and Asuna were flat on the ground now, the latter holding on tight and crying, her words blurring into indistinct but heartfelt sounds– the peddler nearly fell as a dark-haired girl ran from where she'd been sitting hidden in the back of one of the other wagons, running, if slower, to Setsuna, who'd nearly fallen of the floating staff in shock as she tried to get off. Konoka tackled Setsuna too, and soon there was another pair of people rolling around in the ground in greeting.

"Set-chan!"

"O-oujo-sama, please, show some decorum!"

"SET-CHAN!"

"Please, Ojou-sama, you're getting all dirty!"

"_SET-CHAN!_"

"Oujo-sama, please…"

"_**SET-CHAN!**_"

"Is it just me, or does it sound like Konoka's having an orgasm?" Asakura chirped.

The men all jerked, blushing at this, even Couladin, and over by the Wise Ones' came the sound of Egwene choking. Kadere, for some reason, looked especially guilty.

"You were about to introduce yourself, peddler?" Rhuarc prompted, a little too loudly.

"Ah," the peddler said distractedly, voice also just a _tad_ bit louder than needed. "I am Hadnan Kadere, good sirs, seeking Cold Rocks Hold, and…"

They talked over the children rolling around and crying, ignoring how Asuna was berating Negi and pulling on his cheeks. While they managed, barely, to get business done, warning Kadere off from Rhuidean, discussing their destination Imre Stand, and Mat somehow managed to buy a hat, the mood was very much ruined, and the air of it was quite awkward. At some point, another girl from the wagons with the most improbably green hair had arrived, dressed in a ridiculously short skirt, barely covering her knees, and had also greeted Negi, Setsuna, Asakura and Sayo, obviously one of the companions they were looking for.

The men were about to conclude business, with Couladin having just left and Keille about to chide Kadere along, when the door of the second wagon suddenly slammed open with enough force to make the whole wagon tremble. "Kadere!"

As Kadere paled, everyone stared. A little girl stood at the door, looking about ten, and completely naked. Her long, floor-length hair, which theoretically _could_ have preserved her modesty, was doing nothing of the sort. Her body was covered in sweat, and there was some kind of white liquid spattered on her face, stomach and lower. "What's taking so damned long?-!" she demanded, striding towards the peddler, her bare feet seemingly not at all inconvenienced by the fact she was stepping on ground hot enough to cook eggs on. The light turned her hair into a curtain of gold, but except for an ever-so-slight droopiness to her eyes that might have implied sleepiness, she didn't seem affected by the hot sun at all. From the Wise Ones came the sound of more choking.

"M-MASTER!" Negi cried, eyes going wide before he suddenly realized he should be covering them, and did so, but not before the image was burned into his mind (he would later come back to it a lot when he hit puberty, but that's another story…).

"EVA-CHAN!" Asuna cried, finally breaking off the extended reunion as she pointed at the girl in a highly offended and scandalized manner. "PUT SOME CLOTHES ON, WHY DON'T YOU!"

Evangeline sniffed as the Aiel's faces became suddenly blank, some discretely looking away. Mat blushed and looked away, covering his face with his new hat, while Rand did the same, staring intently at some distant nothing. She ignored all this, focusing a glare at a sweating, nervous Kadere. "What's taking you so long?" she demanded, stalking– and it _was_ a stalk– towards the peddler, who visibly drew back slightly.

"Forgive me, Dark Mistress!" he gurgled. The look on Keille's face was completely unreadable. "I was speaking to these people about our destination. We're heading for Imre Stand, and I must prepare–"

Evangeline snorted. _Loudly_. "'Prepare'… yeah, right! You know as well as I do, she," Evangeline jerked her head towards Keille, "really runs things around here. They can get these things pointed at wherever without you. Get you ass back in the damned wagon!"

Kadere cringed as people stared wide-eyed at this exchange, Asakura's eyebrow raised high, Setsuna's eyes bulging. Asuna looking disgusted and highly disturbed. The others were confused, though dark suspicion seemed to be creeping over some people. "Please, Dark Mistress, I beg you!" he said. "It's been long… I am tired, I need to replenish–"

"YOU!" Evangeline snapped, pointing at the nearest wagon driver, who fell of his seat. "Water! Now!" The man ran.

Only then did she seem to notice Negi. She smirked, amused at his averted gaze. "Boya!" she said. "So, you survived after all. Lucky you."

Negi made an indistinct sound.

Evangeline's eyes narrowed. "Look at your master when she is speaking to you!"

Negi's eyes snapped forward, and they flew wide, as he tried his best to keep them focused on her face. Asuna growled.

Evangeline smirked, ignoring the others as she deliberately brushed her hair aside, removing what little cover her hair had been providing. "Well, Boya?" she said, voice sultry. "Do you… _like_ what you see?"

"M-master, maybe you should–" Negi began.

"Baka-Eva!" Asuna cried, suddenly kicking the vampire in and sending her flying to the surprise of all. As Evangeline tumbled, Asuna jumped at her, trying to hide her form from view. "Don't go around trying to seduce an innocent child! Baka-vampire!"

"Insignificant mortal!" Eva cried as the two started tugging on each other's faces.

"Ah! Get off! You're getting this white gunk all over me! Ew, gross! What is this?-!"

Kadere shuffled nervously as everyone directed dark looks his way. He whimpered. "It wasn't my idea…"

"Shut up, you old pervert!" Asuna cried. "You certainly said yes fast enough when baka-Eva suggested it to pay for letting us travel with you!"

More stares where directed at Kadere as the wagon driver arrived with water. Evangeline growled and managed to push Asuna away. The girl flew with a cry as Evangeline got to her feet, grabbing the water skin. She threw it at Kadere, who caught it awkwardly. "Here. Drink up Kadere. We still have our… _transactions… _to finish. Never let it be said that Dark Evangeline does not fulfill her bargains." With a laugh that sent chills up everyone's spine and one last smirk at Asuna and Negi, she swayed sultrily back towards the wagon.

Kadere looked pleadingly at the crowd, as if asking them to kill him.

"_**KADERE!**_"

"Coming, Dark Mistress!" he cried, running back to the wagon and trying to drink from the skin at the same time. The door slammed shut.

The wind blew loudly through the ensuing ominous silence.

"Baka-Eva," Asuna growled.

"W-what's going on?" Negi asked. "W-why was Master naked?"

The door slammed open again. "Boya! When I get out of here, I expect you to have prepared clothes worthy of me person! Or else!"

"B-but, how am I supposed to do that?" Negi cried.

"That's your problem!" The door slammed shut.

"Baka-Eva," Asuna muttered. "I HOPE YOUR DICK FALLS OFF FROM OVERUSE, YOU OLD PERVERT!"

All the men winced. More choking sounds came from the Wise Ones' camp. Negi just looked confused.

"What's a dic–" he asked.

More than a hundred voices, Aiel, Ala Alba, _Ta'veren_ a few from the Wise Ones party and even one Forsaken all cried out, "_**DON'T ASK!**_"

...

Perrin found Kotaro to be extremely useful. The self-proclaimed dog-boy had a nose as good as Perrin's own, and he wasn't bad at tracking either. He managed to keep up with the horses, running on all fours or two legs, nose low to the ground. The others had been nervous of the boy, muttering about Shadowspawn. The boy's goldening eyes had people looking sideways at Perrin, as if they were wondering if his ears would go pointy. This had gone on until the boy had loudly asked them what the heck their problem was with him. And then there was their first encounter with Trollocs with the boy…

They'd caught the Trollocs while they slept, descending on them with weapons and arrows. Kotaro, however, had charged forward, tearing at them with claw-like nails, punches and kicks that cracked bones even with light touches and sent them flying into and sometimes _through_ trees. He moved faster than anything Perrin had ever seen, faster than even Fades.

And then there'd been that ambush…

...

**- To be continued...**

...

A/N: It's very tempting to skip right ahead to Gathering Storm or Towers of Midnight. With the exception of Evangeline, only Ala Alba will be showing up.

Please review, C&C welcome.

Until next time, this is Shadow, signing off.


End file.
